Car-coupling



(No Mbdel.) I I H. W. JOHNSTONE.

GAR. COUPLING.

No. 349,652. Patented Sept. 21, 1886.

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' UNITED STATES HUGER \V. JOHNSTONE, OF IDLElVILD, GEORGIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

PATENT OFFICE.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,652, dated September 21', 1886,

Application filed December 10, 1885. Renewed dugustli, 1886. Serial No. 211,768. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGER W. J OHNSTONE, of Idlewild, in the county of Gordon and State ,of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings; and I do here by declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention set forth in this application is an improvement upon that form of car-coupling, now well known, in which a knuckle is pivotedin one arm of the draw-head, and forms, when looked in place, one part of the hook which couples the cars.

The main part of my invention concerns the locking-key, by which the knuckle is held in place when the cars are coupled.

My object is, first, to simplify this locking mechanism; secondly, to cause it to move for the purpose of locking the knuckle automatically and by gravity, thereby dispensing with springs; thirdly, to locate the locking-bolt on one side in the arm of the draw-head, so that it may be accessible either from the platformor from the ground outside of the track; fourthly, to increase the bearing-surface of the locking-key and guard against breakage from excessive strain; and, fifthly, to provide for locking the knuckles, by means of an ordinary pin,

in case of loss or breaking of the key.

In the accompanying drawings, which show my invention, Figure 1 represents a plan View of the draw-head with the knuckles and lock, part of the upper plate being broken away. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section taken vertically through the draw-head on line at x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents the knuckle detached.

In the drawings, A indicates the knuckle,

which-is, in the main, of ordinary construe-- tion'. It is pivoted at 1, also in the ordinary manner, in the upper and lower plates, 2, of the arm E of the draw-head. It differs from the ordinary knuckle in the shape of the rear arm, which is curved on its rear face in the arc of a true circle, the curve being continuous with the front face of the knuckle, so that the knuckle in swinging to couple or uncouple will always be within the limits of the drawhead. A notch or recess, 6, is cut through in the rear face from top to bottom, and this is so placed that when the knuckle is interlocked with its fellow on the opposite car the notch registers with a key in the arm of the drawend of the key when in look. the lower forward corner of the key is in the from the face of the drawhead for connection with any suitable operating device, though it is not absolutely essential that it project beyond the face of the head. The slot in which The front end the key moves is made in the central casting,

but is covered by the upper and lower plates, or by metal left on the upper and under sides,

excepting that an opening is made in the upper and lower plates in line with the forward In this position lower hole, as shown in Fig. 2at 5, and gives additional steadiness and strength to the lock. The upper holeis used only in event of the key being broken, when it may be utilized for drop-' ping in a bolt, either round or square, and fitting the holes and the notch. The inner face of the draw-head is curved, and has a shoulder, d, against which the spur c of the knuckle strikes when the knuckle has reached the rear limitofitsmovement. Thisspurswingsacross the face in the slot 3, formed to allow its passage, and brings up when the slot inthelmuckle registers with the key end.

On the end of the key a, Iform a rabbet, t, to catch and lock the knuckle on a curve, and acorresponding shoulder is formed, over which the rabbeted part fits when the lock is fully inserted. As the key is in the arm of the draw-head and projects to the side, it is readily accessible, and I may attach levers, heretofore shown by me, or any suitable mechanism.

When this coupling is mounted on a carframe such as that shown iri my Letters Patent of the United States No. 307,955, the drawhead will give and take on curves, and will couple easily on curved or on straight track.

'The broad lock, in its slot and its lodgruent in the hole in the under plate, gives a Very broad and secure bearing and great strength.

Ordinary retaining mechanism connected with the lever may be used to hold the key to the rear when it is desired not to couple. XVhen the key is left free, the movement of the knuckles in coupling brings the curved rear face of the knuckle against the end of the key 5 and pushes it back, and as the key rests against the curved face of the knuckle during all its movements, the said key is always in readiness to lock as soon as it registers with the lock-.

ing-notch. The upper and lower plates, 2 2, and the knuckle have openings registering with each other, so that the ordinary pin and link may be used, and as the key rests against the knuckle or the curved face thereof during all movements, it is always in readiness to lock as soon as it registers with the locking-notch.

I am aware that it is old in this class of earcouplings to provide pins and latches for locking the jaws in place adapted to act by gravity, and I do not broadly claim this.

I elain1.

I 1. In a draw-head having a knuckle formed with a curved rear face continuous with the front curve of the knuckle and turning in a curved recess of the draw-head, an inclined way formed in the draw-head, with a straight inclined bottom extending from its front open-- ing to its rear opening in the upper surface of the draw-head, and a straight key adapted to bear by gravity against the curved face of the knuckle and to lock the same, substantially as described.

2. The knuckle having a notch and rear curved face continuous with the front face, and spur c, in combination with the correspondingly-curved face of the draw-head, and the shoulder (Z at the inner extremity of the curved recess of the draw-head, all substantially as described.

3. The arm of the draw-head, having the inclined slot for the key, arranged approximately in line with the draft, in combination with a straight key arranged in the slot, and having its rear end projecting to the rear and side and adapted to operate by gravity, in combination with the notched and curved knuckle, substantially as described.

4. A knuckle of a draw-head having a rear curved face, with a vcrticallyarranged slot or notch in its curved face, in combination with, a key set on edge, and of approximately triangular shape and sliding on an inclined way in the arm of the draw-head, the said way and key extending to the rear and side with a straight bottom, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGER W. JOHNSTONE.

Vitnesses:

PAUL H; J orINs'roNE, J. L. CAMP, 

